


Flowers that Bloom in Spring

by knowmeknot



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Death, Deity Sans, Ecto-Genitalia (Undertale), Fluff and Angst, Immortality, M/M, Mortal/Immortal Romance, Papyrus and Sans are not related, Reincarnation, Smut, Soul Sex, knight papyrus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-12
Updated: 2017-01-12
Packaged: 2018-09-16 23:27:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9294383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knowmeknot/pseuds/knowmeknot
Summary: Based off this fanart: http://symphysins.tumblr.com/post/155564675266/its-not-really-much-but-have-these-other-doodsPapyrus is a knight-in-training lost in the forest looking for his weapon. Sans is a local forest deity with a penchant for pranking lost mortals that dare to step inside his domain. They both fall in love and deal with the consequences.Smut scene will be marked, though it’s not a huge part of the story and there’s a part in it that’s kinda important.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is for **symphysin** based off this wonderful fanart: http://symphysins.tumblr.com/post/155564675266/its-not-really-much-but-have-these-other-doods . I simply had to write about this as immortal x mortal mayfly december romance is one of my all time favorite romance tropes, and this has become one of my favorite works. I also realize Sans comes off more like a youkai (supernatural creatures and spirits from Japanese folklore) than, say, a pagan deity. On a similar note, if any of you have ever read or watched _Natsume Yuujinchou_ or _Hotarubi No Mori E_ , then that’s the tone I was aiming for in this fic.

_**\- Pranks -**_  
A lush, dense forest stood a few miles away from the Spring Palace of the Royal Family. The Royal Family stayed there on the first day of spring every year. Although some monsters inhabited the forest, many travelers are warned of its dangers. Old wives’ tales told of a hideous, vengeful god who lured lost adventurers into his domain and devoured them. 

Papyrus the knight-in-training wandered into the forest after trying to search for his lost bone arrow. He had spent many meticulous hours carving each of them, and he was not willing to let them be lost within the forest. He searched long and hard, through dense trees and shrubbery until he found his arrow pierced into the grass between two tall trees. Papyrus ran to his fallen weapon and, just as he was about to grab it, it disappeared from his sight! 

The knight spun around and found it several feet away from him, stuck between two different trees with strange blue flowers growing on the ground. He went to grab the arrow… when it disappeared again from his sight and reappeared further ahead of him. The knight trainee let out a frustrated “NYEH!” before running towards it again.

Further and further Papyrus followed his bone arrow until it stood in a grove. The tall trees seemed to bend slightly, their gnarled branches curving like a witch’s claw. As Papyrus stepped nearer to his constantly-escaping arrow, dragging footsteps sounded all around him. The leaves of the forests rustled furiously as the footsteps came closer and closer. The knight-in-training spun around and searched his surroundings, puffing out his chest so that his red cape billowed behind him.

“WHO GOES THERE? ARE YOU PERHAPS THE MAD GOD THAT DEVOURS MONSTERS?” the young knight exclaimed, raising his arms wide in front of him, as if asking for an embrace. “I WOULD HAVE YOU KNOW THAT I DO NOT LIKE BELIEVING IN RUMORS WITHOUT FIRST MEETING THEM!”

The rustling drew nearer and nearer, though Papyrus could not identify who or what it was.

“THE BEST WAY TO MAKE FRIENDS AND MEET SOMEONE NEW, IS THROUGH PUZZLES!”

The footsteps suddenly stopped and a low, rumbling chuckle filled the forest. It echoed around him, the surprisingly soft, baritone timber wrapping around him like a warm blanket. Blue flowers sprouted around the forest ground.

When Papyrus finally pinpointed the chuckling coming from the tall, thick oak tree behind him, he turned around and spotted a short, white-robed deity with a round, smiling skeleton face, perched on a tree branch. A pair of antler-like horns grew from the god’s head, with tiny blue flowers blooming on the side of each horn. 

The deity known as Sans jumped down from his perch, arms outstretched. His flowy robes and the long, draping veil fluttered behind him like an ethereal wraith as he fell. Papyrus had his arms open to catch him, but the deity landed just out of his reach. He didn’t even reach to Papyrus’s shoulders.

“WHO ARE YOU?” the knight-in-training asked in a voice filled with awe. 

Sans held out his hand to shake, which Papyrus immediately grabbed.

_PPPHHHTTTTTTTT!_

A foul smell filled the forest followed by the same rumbling chuckle from before. Papyrus pulled his arms back and saw a flattened flower bulb in the deity’s skeletal hands.

“ _flower_ you doin? name’s sans.”

“WAS THAT A PUN? AND WHAT A HORRIBLE SMELL!”

“watch what ya say, _bud_ , flower’s have feelings too.”

“IS THAT SO?” Papyrus frowned at the thought of hurting the flower’s feelings. “WELL, TELL THE FLOWER THAT I APOLOGIZE. THEIR SCENT WAS SIMPLY TOO MUCH FOR THE GREAT PAPYRUS!”

“papyrus, huh? whatcha doin’ in this forest, besides this?” Sans flicked the bone arrow into his hands and handed it back to the taller skeleton. 

“WHY THANK YOU! I WAS LOOKING FOR THIS!”

Papyrus grabbed the missing bone arrow and place it back into his quiver. 

“I’M ALSO A LITTLE LOST BUT DON’T WORRY, THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL FIND HIS WAY OUT!”

He then looked around and saw the ground covered in a field of blue flowers. He bent down and picked a few of them. More flowers sprouted in their place. They were the same ones that grew on Sans’s antlers. He placed a few into his leather pouch, causing a shit-eating grin to grow on Sans’s face.

“don’t pick the flowers or the ugly, evil god of the forest may curse you,” Sans warned in a serious tone. 

The deity couldn’t wait to see the frightened expression on this lost mortal’s face. Much to his surprise, however, Papyrus beamed back at him with a brilliant smile.

“BUT AREN’T YOU THE FOREST GOD? BESIDES THAT PRANK WITH MY ARROW, YOU DON’T SEEM EVIL AT ALL. AND YOU ARE MOST DEFINITELY NOT UGLY! I THINK YOU ARE AS BEAUTIFUL AS THE FLOWERS GROWING HERE!”

Sans fell silent and quickly turned away, a few of the flowers on his veil turning a light shade of pink before reverting to its normal color. His cheeks glowed faintly blue, not that Papyrus could see.

“w-well, if that’s the case, i’ll help ya get out since this is my domain.”

“THANK YOU! YOU HAVE HELP ME A GREAT DEAL!” Papyrus gave the deity another radiant smile, which Sans tried to ignore.

The two of them walked through the lush forest, with Sans spouting out puns and knock knock jokes. Papyrus’s exaggerated bouts of anger had him chuckling each and every time. Sans discovered that Papyrus worked as a knight-in-training under Captain Undyne of the Royal Knights, who protected the Prince while he stayed at the Spring Palace. 

Before long, the two of them reached the edge of the forest. Sans was surprised at the disappointment that flooded his soul at having to say good-bye and probably never to see this monster again. Who would ever want to come back to his forest?

“I’LL COME BACK AGAIN NEXT SPRING!” the trainee proclaimed, staring at Sans with such intensity that had him looking away. “YOU’LL STILL BE HERE RIGHT?”

“course, it’s my forest,” Sans answered casually. “guess i’ll see ya then.” He gave a half-hearted wave.

He didn’t really believe that the mortal would come back. They never did, once they found some other interest. 

_**\- Gift -**_  
Much to his surprise, he had been wrong. True to his words, Papyrus came back the following spring, wandering through the forest and calling out to the deity. Sans placed the same flower bulb that he’d used last time underneath a layer of leaves, obscuring them from Papyrus’s view. As the knight-in-training stepped on it, a foul smell filled the vicinity. Sans chuckled lightly at the outraged expression on Papyrus’s face, his eyes nearly popping out of his skull.

“WILL YOU ALWAYS PLAGUE ME WITH YOUR ODOROUS PRANKS!” 

“heheheh, looks like i really…” the grin on Sans’s face widened. “rattled your bones.” 

He hovered several feet above Papyrus and winked his left socket at the tall skeleton. The furious expression melted away from Papyrus’s face into a glowing smile, causing the deity’s soul to flutter in response.

“so you actually came back to visit this old pile of bones?”

Papyrus looked offended and answered heatedly, “OF COURSE I WOULD COME BACK! THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS A SKELETON OF HIS WORDS! BESIDES, I MISSED YOU!”

Sans tumbled towards the ground in shock, flowers immediately blooming under him to soften his fall. Instead, Papyrus opened his arms to catch him before he landed on the ground. The intense gaze on the mortal’s face had Sans turning away in embarrassment. He quickly disappeared from his position to stand a few feet away from the knight-in-training. His eyes glanced furtively at Papyrus.

“I BROUGHT SOME OF MY INGENIOUS PUZZLES WE CAN DO TOGETHER!” He opened his leather bag and withdrew several thick sheets of parchment and two quills. “WITH MY GUIDANCE, I’LL MAKE A PUZZLE MASTER OUT OF YOU!”

The two of them, mortal and god, sat under the thick oak tree to work on the puzzles. They were some sort of word unscramble. Sans preferred crossword puzzles himself, though he only did them when he wasn’t pranking others and telling bad jokes. He watched as Papyrus showed him the intricacies of solving the scrambled words.

As the two chatted, Sans learned about the wild escapades between Papyrus and his best friend, Undyne. It made him almost envious of their freedom to travel anywhere in the outside world. Most local deities could not leave their domain.

He also learned of Papyrus’s woes of still not becoming a Royal Knight after so many years of training. The mortal rarely admitted his insecurities to others, not wanting to burden people with his problems. Sans’s soul tightened painfully upon seeing the despondent look on Papyrus’s face and decided to help him out.

He blessed Papyrus with a small, blue floral amulet. It wouldn’t give the mortal super strength, magic or any sort of powers. It didn’t even protect the wearer from harmful curses or evil monsters. It was actually a simple forget-me-not that San wanted to give as a gift of encouragement.

“i can’t leave this forest but if you ever feel down or discouraged, wear this and it’ll make you feel better,” the deity explained as he placed the pendant around Papyrus’s bony neck. “it’ll give you some good luck.”

It didn’t actually increase a person’s luck but it never hurt to give a few inspiring white lies.

“sides, i think you’re already the coolest mortal i’ve ever met.”

Sans suddenly found himself wrapped in a bony embrace. He tensed initially before happily sighing into the lanky arms. Blue and pink flowers blossomed all around them.

“THANK YOU SANS! I’LL ALWAYS WEAR IT! WHEN I COME VISIT NEXT YEAR, I’LL BECOME A ROYAL KNIGHT!” Papyrus announced with determination.

Sans simply nodded and brought his arms around Papyrus to complete the hug. He was beginning to really like this mortal. The flowers residing on the right side of his veil turned pink. This time, they didn’t change back.

 _ **\- Indecent -**_  
True to his words again, when Papyrus came back to the forest in the following spring, he wore gleaming silver armor instead of his usual trainee tunic. His red cape still fluttered brilliantly behind him. A slew of colorful flowers and lush, green trees surrounded him. Every year he came back to this forest, he found it to be more and more beautiful, and more foliage seemed to grow.

“SANS! I’VE FINALLY BECOME A ROYAL KNIGHT, JUST AS I PROMISED I WOULD!” 

The short deity appeared behind Papyrus, floating in a prone position several feet off the ground, his usual lazy grin plastered on his face. His smile widened at the excitement written all over Papyrus’s features.

“congrats, pap.” Sans held out his left arm, his flowy robes fluttering around him.

Papyrus was about to grab the hand before he narrowed his sockets in suspicion, “ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE A _STINK_ AGAIN?” 

Sans blinked several times before he burst into laughter. 

“guess my _pun_ gent scent is simply too much for ya.”

“SANS THAT WAS HORRIBLE!” Papyrus couldn’t help the creeping smile on his face.

“but you’re smiling.”

“I KNOW AND I HATE IT!” 

Papyrus noticed that half the flowers on Sans’s veil had turned pink, though he didn’t know why. He assumed the deity simply wanted to try out some different colors. He hoped the casual robe he’d sewn for Sans wasn’t a wrong color choice.

“I HAVE A GIFT FOR YOU!” Papyrus exclaimed. “I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP AND YOUR WONDERFUL GIFT FROM LAST TIME!”

“aw, you didn’t hafta give me anything. that amulet was just some spur of the moment thing i made up.”

Papyrus shook his head furiously in disagreement, withdrew a brown package from his bag and handed it to Sans. He watched earnestly as the short skeleton unwrapped the gift. It was a much more casual, more comfortable looking robe in a soft blue shade.

“I HOPE THE COLOR I PICKED WAS OKAY. IT MATCHES YOUR FLOWERS!” 

Sans stared speechlessly at the gift, running his phalanges through the soft fabric. It looked so comfortable and probably felt better than the robes he always wore, not that the soft satin was uncomfortable. But they sometimes had a tendency to get caught on branches. 

Without really thinking, Sans slipped out of his white attire, causing Papyrus to let out a yelp of surprise. The deity looked at the knight in confusion. A deep orange blush ran across his cheekbones as he scrambled to cover his sockets. Sans glanced down at his bare, skeleton body and shrugged.

“what’s the issue? there’s nothin’ really to see,” Sans gave a cheeky grin as he swayed his naked hips slightly. “you simply _see right through me_.”

“I-IT’S… IT’S INDECENT FOR ME TO WATCH YOU CHANGE!”

Sans chuckled at the mortal’s embarrassment. Who knew he would be so innocent and shy? The deity decided to have mercy on the poor knight and changed behind the large oak tree the two of them often met under. A happy sigh escaped his mouth as the soft fabric rubbed against his bones. It’d definitely make walking much easier than his normal robes.

“ok. i’m done.”

He stepped out from behind the tree. The orange blush still remained on Papyrus’s face as he gaped at Sans.

“WOWIE! IT LOOKS ALMOST AS GREAT AS MY KNIGHTLY ARMOR!”

“heh, thanks. it’s real comfy. i’ll make this my regular.” 

The two of them chatted for a long time, Papyrus narrating about all his experiences as a Royal Knight. Sans told Papyrus of his uneventful life watching over the forest. His prank of scaring off some poachers until they nearly pissed themselves in fright had him laughing endlessly, which Papyrus did not find nearly as amusing. 

Before long, the day grew dark and it was time for Papyrus to leave. This time, to change things up a bit, Sans decided to pull off a prank as the tall knight was leaving. During their goodbye hug, he discreetly stuck a small, scented yellow flower on Papyrus’s back. Anyone who went near the scent would be compelled to give the tall skeleton a pat on the back. He deserved it.

 _ **\- Stars -**_  
For the next nine years, Papyrus treated their meeting in the forest like an annual pilgrimage. He always arrived on the same day every year. The two of them often lazed around under their usual tree; at least Sans did (Papyrus often explored the forest while the god napped), and chatted about their lives. Sans loved hearing about Papyrus’s knightly escapades. Although tension between monsters and humans has risen considerably since their initial meeting, spurring several skirmishes, Papyrus always showed mercy on the battlefield. Sans simply found him the coolest.

Papyrus too would often ask Sans about the various gods in the area, what they did, finding the immortals to be completely fascinating. He would've loved to meet the other deities. He greatly enjoyed the time he'd spent with Sans, no matter how lazy the god sometimes acted. After their sixth meeting, Papyrus had even begun staying overnight in the forest, even when it sometimes delayed his travels back to New Home in the mornings.

The forest guardian sprawled languidly across Papyrus’s lap, watching tenderly as the mortal squinted his sockets in concentration at his latest puzzle. Sans had begun to wear the casual blue robes Papyrus had given him and to forego the translucent veil as often as he could but definitely every time he met with Papyrus. They no longer matched the color of the flowers on his horns, which have turned completely pink, but the way Papyrus’s face brightened immediately upon seeing him in it caused his soul to pulsate rapidly within his ribs. 

His eyes drifted closed, all too ready for his early evening nap. Papyrus glanced down at the indolent god.

“WHEN I FIRST MET YOU, I WAS IN AWE. YOU LOOKED… ETHEREAL, STUNNING… AND A LITTLE INTIMIDATING. BUT YOU’RE ACTUALLY JUST A LAZY HOUSECAT, AREN’T YOU?” Papyrus asked. He stared at the resting Sans on his lap.

“but i’m your lazy housecat, right?” Sans argued, sticking up his pointer finger.

“WELL, YES. BUT THAT’S NOT THE POINT!” 

Sans chuckled lightly, and the two fell into a comfortable silence until Papyrus yelled triumphantly as he conquered his latest puzzle. Sans gave him a lethargic congratulations before he snuggled back into the knight’s lap.

“SANS, DO YOU HAVE ANY INTERESTS?” Papyrus asked suddenly after several minutes. “ANYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO SEE?”

Sans opened his right socket to look at Papyrus, “eh, not really. i don’t mind nappin’ in this forest with you for the rest of my immortal life.” The small skeleton paused. “though i guess i always wanted to see the stars with someone. i’m usually too lazy to climb through all these tall trees to see ‘em.”

He could always teleport onto the top most branch of the highest tree, but he found no joy in watching the stars alone, especially after he’d seen them daily for the first hundred years of his life.

The deity let out a surprised gasp as he was suddenly lifted off the knight’s lab and onto his shoulders. He scrambled for Papyrus’s round skull so he didn’t fall. Papyrus seized his arms before he could, then turned his head slightly to speak to him.

“HOLD ON, SANS! WE’RE GOING TO SEE THE STARS! ”

The skeleton knight jumped up to grasp the lowest hanging branch before he sprang up for the next one. Up, grab, jump. Up, grab, jump. He followed this steady rhythm until he reached the top most branch, Sans clinging tightly onto his shoulders. He chose the sturdiest branch on the top of the giant oak tree and sat down.

“y’know, i could’ve just teleported us up here if you’d told me,” Sans said.

“OF COURSE YOU COULD, BUT THEN I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO SHOW YOU MY AMAZING TREE CLIMBING SKILLS! WINK!” 

Papyrus flexed his bony “biceps” in response, wiggling his bone brows suggestively. Sans burst into laughter, flower buds appearing on the branch they sat.

Both skeletons sat side-by-side on the branch, watching as stars blinked into existence in the dusky sky. Before long, the black space above them twinkled brightly with stars. Papyrus glanced at the content smile on Sans’s face. In a spur of the moment decision, he closed the distance between their faces and—

_Clack!_

Pressed his teeth against Sans’s, who turned a brilliant shade of blue. 

“I LOVE YOU SANS, EVER SINCE I FIRST LAID SOCKETS ON YOU!”

The mortal knight and immortal god stared at each other for a brief moment, before Sans pulled Papyrus back towards his face and pressed their teeth together in a deeper kiss. 

“me too, papyrus, i love you so much.”

The buds on the branch blossomed into large, pink flowers.

 _ **\- Promise -**_  
News of unrest and wars between monsters and humans reached the ears of the forest. Sans began to worry for Papyrus’s safety, though the knight still promptly arrived in the forest under the giant oak tree on the first day of spring. 

Papyrus smiled as soon as he laid eyes on the forest deity, garbed in his formal white, flowy robes and veil. He thought the god looked beautiful, just like the first time they’d met. Although the knight was unharmed from his last battle, dark circles lined the bottom of his sockets, and he immediately laid against the tree. 

Sans voiced his concerns to Papyrus, who vehemently denied any problems and simply wanted to rest. With his concerns quenched, the god took his usual spot, sprawled across Papyrus’s lap.

“DID SOMETHING HAPPEN TODAY FOR YOU TO WEAR YOUR FORMAL ROBES?”

Sans startled as he realized he’d forgotten to change back to the comfortable robes that Papyrus had given him as a gift all those years ago. A hand fell on his back, and he turned to face Papyrus’s warm, understanding expression.

“IT’S ALRIGHT. I DO NOT EXPECT YOU TO WEAR IT EVERY TIME WE MEET. THE FACT YOU WEAR IT SO OFTEN IS ENOUGH FOR ME!”

"yeah, i know but you're always wearing that amulet i gave you." The deity turned away sheepishly. "anyways, it was tori’s one thousand year birthday and all the local gods went to celebrate.”

“IS SHE THE ONE THAT WATCHES OVER THE LOST CHILDREN?” Sans nodded in affirmation. “A THOUSAND YEARS! THAT’S SUCH A LONG TIME! I CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE LIVING THAT LONG!”

A chill settled within Sans’s soul at Papyrus’s words, words that he’d tried to avoid thinking. Many of the other local deities have already warned (some even scolded) him of his interactions with the mortal. Even Toriel had something to say. He’d been ignoring them, hoping by some miracle, that Papyrus would never leave him. He was a skeleton monster, after all, and they were some of the longest living monsters.

Papyrus had similar thoughts running through his mind. He played with the idea of becoming stationed in the Spring Palace or moving into a home within the forest to be closer to Sans. After he got back from the upcoming battle, one that all Royal Knights were required to serve, he would do it. He was hesitant to admit his apprehension about the battle, knowing that Sans would find some way to stop him from participating.

His thoughts were interrupted as he felt slow, languid strokes up against his chest. Sans peered intensely at him, his permanent smile growing wider. It looked sensual, suggestive.

“what’s got you so _rattled_?” the deity asked as he ran his hands down the knight’s chest.

Sans sat up and pressed his teeth lightly against Papyrus’s, whose cheeks turned a deep shade of orange. Sans continued his careful ministrations, drawing out a muffled moan. Papyrus slid down the tree until he was lying on the ground, Sans drifting on top of him.

“paps, do you trust me?”

Papyrus’s breath caught in his throat as Sans’s veil draped around them. The flowers near the god’s antler-like horns flourished a deep shade of pink. 

“I do.”

 *******  
Expert fingers quickly removed his armor and undershirt, which he hastily set aside. Papyrus shuddered and moaned as, to his surprise, he felt something wet drag up his sternum. Sans had summoned a glowing blue tongue and alternated between kissing and licking down his sternum and ribs while his hands trailed down to Papyrus’s clothed pelvis. The knight's pants soon joined the rest of his discarded clothing. 

It wasn’t long before his orange soul flared brilliantly within his chest. Sans’s hands dipped into his ribcage and gingerly drew out the glowing inverted heart. Papyrus writhed and groaned beneath the smaller skeleton as Sans ran his fingers down the organ, massaging it tenderly. The look of absolute adoration on Sans’s face had the soul releasing a bright flash.

“P-P-PLEASE KEEP GOING!” Papyrus cried. He peak rapidly approached.

Liquid orange residue dripped down Sans’s arms from where he gently gripped the soul. He gave Papyrus a cheeky grin before he placed his tongue against it and dragged it slowly upwards. The tall skeleton screamed in ecstasy as he came, flooding the entire area in an orange light. With great care, Sans brought the spent organ back into its owner. He smiled down at Papyrus, a trail of orange dribbling down the corner of his mouth.

In a flash, Papyrus sprang up and pinned Sans beneath him, kneeling between Sans’s spread legs. The deity stared up at Papyrus in shock, blue quickly settling in his face from his position and the knight’s piercing gaze.

“PLEASE LET ME RETURN THE FAVOR! I MAY NOT BE EXPERIENCED IN PLEASURING A GOD, BUT I’LL GIVE YOU A _BONING_ YOU’LL NEVER FORGET!”

Sans’s initial chuckle at the words immediately morphed into a deep shudder as Papyrus stroked down his spine. The knight’s other hand swept under Sans’s robes and to his pelvis. Clumsy but soft touches grazed down Sans’s iliac crest, to his sacrum and then his coccyx, his breath hitching and deepening. Seeing it as a positive sign, Papyrus continued further down until he fell upon a glowing blue mound of magic between Sans’s pubis. 

He pressed a finger into the soft mound of magic, eliciting a low moan of pleasure from the deity that sent arousal down to his own pelvis region. He slipped his finger in and out of the hole, causing Sans to writhe and whimper in response to the stimulation. Flower buds popped out of the ground like mushrooms.

“p-pap!” the small god cried out, as Papyrus hit a particular spot.

Once Papyrus felt the walls of the hole clenching, he withdrew his fingers, drawing a frustrated whine from Sans. He thought of the blue tongue that Sans had summoned earlier and forced the arousal from his soul to form a long shaft in front of his pelvis. Hazy eye lights fell upon the orange length and flickered into hearts.

“p-pap, p-p-please… i need you.” 

Papyrus loomed over Sans’s diminutive body, lined his shaft against Sans’s hole and thrusted inside. The god cried out in pleasure, and a few flowers sprouted on the ground next to him. The knight set a steady pace, panting heavily at the feeling of the tight walls around his length. At their increasing arousal, both skeletons’ souls manifested from their ribcage. It wasn’t long before they both climaxed.

“ah~ papyrus!” 

“SANS!”

Both of them came simultaneously, their souls briefly pressing together and mingling before a blue and orange glow filled the forest. Flowers bloomed all around the forest, covering everywhere in a shade of pink, orange and blue flowers. 

“WAS THE GREAT PAPYRUS UP TO YOUR STANDARDS?” the knight huffed.

Still too dazed to speak, Sans simply gave him a thumbs up of approval. Papyrus grinned proudly.  


*******

The mortal and god laid together in the field of flowers, each slowly coming down from the post-orgasm haze. Papyrus took one look at Sans’s blissed out appearance and made his decision.

“SANS! AFTER THIS LAST BATTLE, I’VE DECIDED TO MOVE INTO THE FOREST SO WE CAN SEE EACH OTHER MORE! WE CAN SPEND MORE TIME DOING PUZZLES, TRADING HORRIBLE JOKES, AND GAZING AT THE STARS!”

Finally coming down to his senses, Sans sat up and gazed at Papyrus with hopeful excitement. 

“really? you wanna stay here? with me?”

“YES! WHEN I COME BACK NEXT SPRING, I’LL BE STAYING FOREVER! I’LL BECOME YOUR LOVING, GREAT MORTAL, NYEH HEH HEH! I PROMISE!”

And Sans believed him. After all, he’d kept all his other promises. 

_**\- Death -**_  
The following year, Papyrus never showed up on the first of spring. Sans waited the whole day at their usual spot under the large oak tree and even wandered around the forest. Apprehension engulfed his soul as the day ended, and Papyrus never appeared. He hoped that the knight simply had other obligations in dire need of handling and not the alternative.

Papyrus failed to show up the next day. And the day after. Flowers with only their center core covered the forest ground, their petals having fallen due to the deity’s worry. 

A week after Sans had seen no signs of Papyrus, he contemplated on leaving his forest to search for him, consequences be damned. Just as he was about to leave, the sound of clattering armor filled the area. Relief and happiness flooded within him.

It vanished as quickly as it came when a blue fish monster wearing glinting silver armor stepped within the grove to the giant tree. She carried a single bone arrow and a red cape in her hands. Profound melancholy marred her face.

The deity watched, soul constricting violently with dread, as Captain Undyne of the Royal Knights stuck the arrow into the ground in front of the oak tree and wrapped the red cape around it. She then gingerly withdrew a fist-sized bottle of dust from her bag, opened the lid and scattered the dust around the tree. She then looked up straight where Sans stood, invisible from her sight. A deep, weary sigh escaped her lips.

“Look, I dunno who lives here or why Paps wanted me to scatter his dust here, but he’s left a message.” Undyne took in a deep, shuddering breath. “He said he’s sorry… sorry about breaking his promise. But he hopes to meet you again someday.”

Undyne let out a sob as she finished Papyrus’s message and fell to her knees. She wept under the giant oak tree. 

“He was the best knight I’ve ever had. He told me… told me that he was leaving to live here after this last year.” The fish captain paused, sniffling. “I laughed at him at first, thinking how could he throw away his position as a royal knight. He got angry and yelled at me, hah!”

Undyne looked around her surroundings before continuing, “But after coming here, I can see why he’d like this place.” 

The forest was lush, green, filled with foliage, and despite the flowerless blossoms, Undyne could visualize its beauty when they fully bloomed.

“Anyway, what I’m trying to say is… don’t blame him for what’s happened! He doesn’t deserve it!” With those words said, Captain Undyne turned around and left. 

After the god knew Undyne was completely gone, Sans appeared in front of the bone arrow, his soul breaking at the dust scattered around the tree. He knelt numbly, trembling hands grasping the cape. He buried his face into the red fabric and wept silently. The flowers on his horns wilted. 

Summer came, and shriveled, brown leaves covered the forest ground, leaving many of the trees bare. The flowers stopped growing while the others died. The forest deity stopped caring, lying heavily against the oak tree, their tree, running his phalanges over and over down the red cape he’d wrapped around himself. He hadn’t moved from his spot since Undyne had come and gone. All he felt was bone chilling numbness and crippling agony.

Winter passed, leaving the forest completely bare. Spring eventually came but the forest remained the same, only the few pine trees growing their leaves. The other deities began to worry, visiting Sans and bearing gifts. He ignored all of them. When enough was enough, Toriel finally intervened.

“I’m so sorry, Sans. I know how you feel,” she addressed softly, voice filled with empathy.

The small skeleton turned to face the ancient deity of lost children, sockets as black pits, “how… how can you stand this? live with this?”

Toriel knew Sans was referring to the pain of losing a mortal, mortal lives so short compared to theirs. Her own loss of the six children she’d taken care of still plagued her soul. But she’d lived far longer than Sans has and known too well the emptiness, the aching feeling of death. 

“It takes time… so much time.” Toriel wrapped her furry arms around Sans and held him close as he cried. “And sometimes, it never disappears.” 

“is there… is there any way i can see him again?” Sans croaked. His eye lights were hazy and dim.

The goat deity shook her head sadly, deciding not to tell Sans of the possibility of reincarnation and giving false hope. The chances were so low, it would have to be a miracle for it to happen. It only occurred to those gods and mortals who’ve been so deeply connected, down to their souls. And even if it could happen, it would only leave the deity with more heartbreak. 

Sans never once blamed Papyrus for the constant pain he felt. But he oftentimes dreamed about how it would’ve been if the knight had survived and kept his promise. They would’ve lounge around in the forest while Sans pranked him and spewed out awful jokes, possibly helped Papyrus build his house, and watched the stars together. Sans eventually stopped these thoughts since it only brought him more anguish.

Decades went by and the times changed. Buildings, houses and all sorts of establishments took the place of the once dense, rich forest. Sans had long stopped caring but he made sure no one ever laid a single hand on the giant oak tree which he often resided in. Their sacred tree. It remained bare with not a single flower, no matter the time of year. The flowers haven't bloomed since his mortal had died. 

_**\- Rebirth -**_  
In the center of a dreary park, located a few blocks from a tall office building, stood an ancient oak tree. There were many rumors about the park, rumors that it was haunted by a vengeful spirit that’ll kill anyone that goes near the oak tree. That people could hear a faint, hollow laughter. 

Papyrus didn’t understand why he felt a strange, persistent tug at his soul every time his eyes fell upon the tree. His soul pulsed excitedly and with undecipherable familiarity every time he stepped under it. He also didn’t know how this tree was still alive, its gnarled branches twisting inwards like a pile of dead worms. 

It was the first day of spring and Papyrus was on his way home from work at his favorite Italian restaurant, when a scream pierced the silent park. He sprinted off in the direction of the sound and fell upon a burly man grappling a purse from a woman’s shoulders under the giant oak tree. 

“STOP! STEALING IS AGAINST THE LAW!” the tall skeleton proclaimed. He charged towards the buff man and tackled him against the thick trunk of the tree. 

Papyrus swiped the purse from the man and handed it back to the sobbing woman, who thanked him profusely. Papyrus waved at the woman as she left, and during his moment’s distraction, the man smashed his leg into the skeleton’s back. Papyrus cried out in pain as he toppled onto the ground.

Stars filled his vision as the man kicked him roughly several time. The thief even attempted to pull at one of the lower branches, hoping to use it to hit the fallen skeleton some more. The man let out a yelp of pain as a thick, hard branch slapped his behind. He jumped up frantically, unknowingly stepping on an oval flower bulb. 

_PPPHHHTTTTTTTT!_

A foul odor permeated through the air, and deep, empty laughter surrounded them. The thief gave a strangled shriek before he ran off, blabbering about evil curses and spirits. 

Papyrus looked up, his vision still spinning, and saw a grinning, round skeletal face wearing a veil with antler-like horns. A wide range of emotions etched on the god’s face—worry, disbelief and a deep-seated pain. Papyrus slowly lifted his arm to touch the strange being, to comfort him, but his hand only met air.

Papyrus went to the tree the following day, hoping to find the mysterious deity which he’d felt such a deep sense of familiarity with. Had they met before? He didn’t remember ever meeting another skeleton. He was disappointed to find the tree as bare and desolate as it always had been. But Papyrus wasn’t going to give up, not when his soul called out so loudly to see the other. The chef decided to leave presents every day, hoping to somehow draw the deity out to meet him.

His first gift had been his own carefully crafted spaghetti, which he’d placed under the giant tree. It was left untouched when he went back to it the following day. 

Next, he tried leaving a book of his favorite puzzles. He found blue colored tear stains on several of the pages. 

The third gift, which he’d thought of as he watched the stars flicker into the sky at dusk, was a simple telescope. He didn’t know why seeing the stars left his soul in such a happy glow. It was smashed to pieces the next time he saw it. 

His final gift was a light blue hoodie that he’d seen while walking past the clothing store. His eyes were immediately drawn to it. He inexplicably knew it would be perfect.

When Papyrus walked into the park the following day, he heard the sound of soft weeping. A small, veiled figure in white flowy robes crouched under the oak tree, sobbing pitifully. The blue jacket was clutched tightly against his chest.

Papyrus’s soul cried out in pain at the sight and sped over to the deity, who looked up as he approached. Blue tears ran down his socket in rivers. He was about to disappear when Papyrus seized his arm.

“PLEASE DON’T LEAVE!” the tall chef called out. “I DO NOT KNOW WHY, BUT I’VE ALWAYS FELT DRAWN TO THIS PLACE, THIS TREE! HAVE WE SOMEHOW MET BEFORE? SOMEWHERE?”

Sans shook his head, more tears dripping down his face, “it doesn’t matter even if i told you. this will end in the same way.”

The pure hopelessness in the god’s tone had Papyrus’s soul clenching painfully in his chest. But he wasn’t going to give up.

“THEN WE HAVE MET BEFORE! WHO ARE YOU? PLEASE TELL ME!” Papyrus pleaded. He pulled closer towards the deity, staring intensely. “I’VE ALWAYS FELT A GREAT EMPTINESS WITHIN MY SOUL, FOR THE LONGEST I CAN REMEMBER. AND EVER SINCE I FIRST SAW YOU, I’VE FELT A CONNECTION!”

No one spoke for several minutes before Sans shakily explained, “name’s sans. w-we’ve met… h-h-hundreds of years ago. i’m the local deity of this… this forest though i’ve, heh, done a pretty shitty job.” Sans gave a weak sweep of the barren surroundings and sniffled. “we, we were lovers before... before you died in a battle. you promised… promised we would stay together. but you broke it… you never came back.”

Sans crumpled limply against Papyrus’s hold, feeling completely drained. He was finally beginning to forget, to move on, when this stupid mortal comes back, showering him with gifts, with reminders of their past together. It hurt; it hurt so much it was unbearable. 

The deity suddenly felt arms wrap tightly around him, warm familiar arms of his longtime mortal love.

“I still love you. Even if I don’t remember everything, what I feel for you is the same. Please give me another chance,” Papyrus whispered softly against the side of his skull. He suddenly sprang up, Sans still embraced tightly in his arms. “THE GREAT PAPYRUS PROMISES THAT I’LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU, AND EVEN IF I CAN’T REMEMBER EVERYTHING, I’LL ALWAYS COME BACK TO YOU!” 

The deity warred with himself on giving in, on experiencing another short period of bliss followed by a long period of heartbreak. He didn’t know if he could go through it again. But at the look of passionate determination in Papyrus's face, he couldn’t help the sliver of hope that blossomed within him. Because in the end, this mortal had kept his promise to come back, even if it took a long, long time.

With a tinge of hesitancy, Sans pulled Papyrus’s face down towards his own and pressed his teeth against the taller’s. And for the first time in over five hundred years, several small blue flowers bloomed in spring.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Flowers that bloom in the spring 2](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9465794) by [MourningDew](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MourningDew/pseuds/MourningDew)




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